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Ford Hall Forum

The Ford Hall Forum is the nation's oldest continuously operating free public lecture series. Its mission is to foster an informed and effective citizenry and to promote freedom of speech through the public presentation of lectures, debates, and discussions. Forum events illuminate the key issues facing our society by bringing to its podium knowledgeable and thought-provoking speakers. These speakers are presented in person, for free, and in settings, which facilitate frank and open debate.

http://www.fordhallforum.org/

Bass Guitarist Stanley Sheldon on the Roots of Caribbean Music

Thu, Apr 8, 2021

Stanley Sheldon is an American bass guitar player best known for his work with Peter Frampton and notable as an early adopter of the fretless bass for rock music. Upon returning to school, Sheldon took an interest in the roots of Caribbean music. He devoted most of the '90s to Latin American Studies at the University of Kansas, earning a master's degree. Afro-Caribbean music and dance evolved not only in and around colonial sugar plantations but also in more remote mountainous regions of the islands of Hispaniola, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Jamaica, in maroon outposts of escaped slaves. Today, musicians in many large cities such as New York and Miami continue the musical tradition that stems from a slave/maroon past. Throughout colonial Caribbean America the Atlantic slave trade gave rise to flourishing societies made up of escaped slaves who had fled the harsh conditions endured in the sugar plantations. A strong correlation between regionally specific intensive sugar production and Afro-Caribbean art can be observed in all the major regions where the slaves were brought to work. Cimarron culture is regarded as a “culture of the drum,” bearing a striking resemblance to the aboriginal African rhythms but nonetheless uniquely Afro-American. Afro-Caribbean music is not only important as an integrating, democratic force, it also at times displays a voice’ challenging and defying hegemony. Photocredit: Flickr/ DJ from De Lagelanden (CC)

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Fixing what’s broken: The Pandemic Economy

Thu, Mar 18, 2021

As we inch closer to the light at the end of the pandemic tunnel and passage of “The American Rescue Plan,” President’s Biden’s $1.9 trillion Covid relief package and first big legislative win, where does the economy stand? Which groups and sectors have been most affected by the Covid economy and what will be the impact of this newest Congressional measure? How long will “recovery” take, and what will a post-pandemic economy and the future of work look like? Join us as we dive deeper into these questions, the answers to which impact all of us but in very different ways. This event continues a new spring series, Examining the First 100 Days of the Biden Administration, focusing on the most important developments in the early days of the Biden Administration. Guest speakers over the semester examine the ability of the 46th President and his team to affect change in some of the most vital policy areas that impact all of us. _Presented by the Suffolk University Department of Political Science & Legal Studies, in collaboration with the Ford Hall Forum at Suffolk University and hosted by GBH’s Forum Network._ ### Resources Read Eduardo’s “How the American Unemployment System Failed,” [here](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/21/business/economy/unemployment-insurance.html?searchResultPosition=2). Review Kathryn’s article, “[Unemployment Insurance and the Failure to Reform.](https://www.rand.org/blog/2021/01/unemployment-insurance-and-the-failure-to-reform.html)” More from Jed in his article, “[The Jobs the Pandemic May Devastate.](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/22/upshot/jobs-future-pandemic-.html)” Learn about how the pandemic economy could wipe out a generation of Black-owned businesses, [here](https://www.propublica.org/article/the-pandemics-existential-threat-to-black-owned-businesses).

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Beyond Borders with Photographer Amira Al-Sharif

Thu, Apr 1, 2021

In her nearly two-decade-long career as a photojournalist, Yemeni photographer Amira Al-Sharif documented the multi-cultural lives of women, the beauty of ordinary daily life, and now the horror of a long raging and brutal war. Through stunning images of her beloved country of Yemen, Amira bears witness to what has been termed “the worst man-made humanitarian crisis in the world.” In this conversation, Amira talks about her life-long bond with the camera, her work to unveil misconceptions, and struggles to keep documenting lived experiences, while finding glimmers of hope in a place consumed by conflict and suffering. Using the lens of her camera, and unlocking her “bitter-sweet” memories, Amira reveals her artistic mission to rescue “the fleeting, hiding, or missing scenes” from her journey as a war photographer. This is part of an ongoing series by Ford Hall Forum titled, Beyond Borders: Women's Stories and the Art of Bearing Witness. Hear captivating storytellers share their work and bear witness to struggles about human rights, memory, belonging, and love. Image: Amira Al-Sharif

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When Two Voices Are Not Enough

Thu, Mar 11, 2021

When we say that poems and stories move us, we usually mean that they make us feel more deeply, or that they open us up to new knowledge or new ways of thinking. Acclaimed writer and human rights activist Alicia Partnoy, in conversation with pioneer women’s studies scholar Amy Kaminsky, shows us that poetry and storytelling are not just solitary practices. They are critical elements in the struggle for human rights, for survival, and for justice. They call on readers to become participants, to raise their own voices in solidarity. This is part of an ongoing series by Ford Hall Forum titled, Beyond Borders: Women's Stories and the Art of Bearing Witness. Hear captivating storytellers share their work and bear witness to struggles about human rights, memory, belonging, and love. Image: Andrea Piacquadio, Pexels **RESOURCES**: Learn more about [Alicia Partnoy](https://www.aliciapartnoy.com/blank-page) The song based on Alicia Partnoy’s poem is performed by Sweet Honey in the Rock. [Hear their performance](https://www.allmusic.com/album/live-at-carnegie-hall-mw0000652837) at Carnegie Hall. Check out Amy Kaminsky’s book, [The Other/Argentina: Jews, Gender, and Sexuality in the Making of a Modern Nation](http://www.sunypress.edu/p-7058-the-otherargentina.aspx) [Here](https://www.jstor.org/stable/43150851?seq=1) is a journal article, "Play in Memories of State Terror in Argentina: "The Little School" by Alicia Partnoy"

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Turning Your Body Into a Compass

Thu, Mar 4, 2021

Catherine Filloux is an award-winning playwright who has been writing plays about human rights and social justice for over twenty-five years. This talk includes Filloux’s work both in the U.S. and in Cambodia. She discusses her web play “Turning Your Body Into a Compass,” about children and deportation in the U.S., performed live as a 360° online experience. She also shares her work addressing issues of memory and complicity in relation to the experiences of Cambodians who suffered at the hands of the Khmer Rouge. She is joined by Mu Sochua, a Cambodian politician and rights activist. The moderator is Alexa Jordan, a playwright and actress who served as associate producer and outreach coordinator on “Turning Your Body Into a Compass."

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Fixing What’s Broken: Climate & Environmental Policy

Wed, Feb 24, 2021

President Biden has promised an all hands on deck approach to tackling climate change, which he has described as an existential threat. To start, he created two new positions in the National Security Agency with an exclusive focus on climate at home and abroad. He has asked the National Intelligence, Defense and Treasury agency directors to add ecology to their portfolios. Finally, Biden took swift action during his first weeks in office to rejoin the Paris Climate Accord, revoke the permit for construction of the Keystone XL pipeline and order a review of hundreds of executive orders thought to be harmful to the environment. Will these steps make progress toward slowing down climate change? Will a deeply divided Congress be able to act decisively to take the necessary steps, along with the rest of the world, to slow, stop or reverse our course? The Washington Post audio producer Arjun Singh moderates a discussion on the promises and obstacles to achieving Biden’s Climate Agenda with Rachel Cleetus, Union of Concerned Scientists; Michél Legendre, Corporate Accountability; and Sririam Madhusoodanan, US Climate Campaign. _Presented by the Suffolk University Department of Political Science & Legal Studies, in collaboration with the Ford Hall Forum at Suffolk University and hosted by GBH’s Forum Network._ ### Resources Read Rachel Cleetus’s, [“A Biden Presidency Means a New Day in the Fight for Climate Action.”](https://blog.ucsusa.org/rachel-cleetus/biden-climate-priorities) Learn what Rachel Cleetus thinks is next after rejoining the Paris Agreement, [here](https://blog.ucsusa.org/rachel-cleetus/paris-agreement-us-whats-next). See research on the compound climate risks of the pandemic, [here](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-020-0804-2). Read the Union of Concerned Scientists’s, [“Underwater: Rising Seas, Chronic Floods, and the Implications for US Coastal Real Estate.”](https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/underwater)

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Fixing What’s Broken: Biden’s Equity Agenda

Thu, Feb 11, 2021

The last four divisive years follow decades of frustration from a lack of progress for racial justice and gender equity. Anger moved the debate into the streets, most notably with the formation of the Black Lives Matter movement and #MeToo protests, sometimes met with opposition from far right and white supremacist groups holding their own rallies and spurring on riots. President Biden made ambitious promises to address the country’s polarization born out of discrimination and inequality. The early days of his Administration featured a down payment on this promise with a flurry of executive actions and the record-setting pace for creating his own team, but can he bring about more lasting change with the help of Congress? Can he change the hearts and minds of Americans at large? Join us as we discuss the problems, the promises and the possibilities of Biden’s “Equity Agenda.” This event is the third in a spring series, Examining the First 100 Days of the Biden Administration, that focuses on the most important developments in the early days of the Biden Administration. Presented by the Suffolk University Department of Political Science & Legal Studies, in collaboration with the Ford Hall Forum at Suffolk University and hosted by GBH’s Forum Network. Image: Gina Janovitz Design ### Resources Take a look at POLITICO’s [“I Spent 11 Hours Inside the MAGA Bubble.”](https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2021/02/07/oan-trump-network-11-hours-466134) For research on media bias and to see a chart tracking media bias, [visit this site. ](https://www.adfontesmedia.com/) Geraldo was previously on the Daily Show with Tervor Noah discussing Latino voters and Hispanic Republicans, [learn more here.](https://www.cc.com/video/vrivo5/the-daily-show-with-trevor-noah-geraldo-cadava-the-hispanic-republican-latino-voters) Check out some of Geraldo’s thoughts about Latino politics and the partisan divide in [“The Deep Origins of Latino Support for Trump"](https://www.newyorker.com/news/the-political-scene/the-deep-origins-of-latino-support-for-trump) and in [this New York Times op-ed.](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/26/opinion/trump-border-wall.html)

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Building the Team: Staffing Up, Rebuilding Capacity & Trust

Wed, Feb 3, 2021

President Biden made ambitious promises to address the country’s polarization born out of discrimination and inequality. The early days of his Administration featured a down payment on this promise with a flurry of executive actions and a record-setting pace for creating his own team, but will he bring about more lasting change with the help of Congress? Will he change the hearts and minds of Americans at large? Watch as our speakers discuss the problems, the promises and the possibilities of Biden’s “Equity Agenda.” This event is the third in a spring series, Examining the First 100 Days of the Biden Administration, that will focus on the most important developments in the early days of the Biden Administration. Guest speakers over the Spring semester will examine the ability of the 46th President and his team to affect change in some of the most vital policy areas that impact all of us. This lecture is presented by the Suffolk University Department of Political Science & Legal Studies, in collaboration with the Ford Hall Forum at Suffolk University and hosted by GBH’s Forum Network. Image: Gina Janovitz Design ### Resources See Stephanie Murray’s political coverage at POLITICO, [here.](https://www.politico.eu/author/stephanie-murray/) Learn about Martha Kumar and the White House Transition Project, [here.](https://whitehousetransitionproject.org/) Read a volume edited by Meena Bose on the Office of Management and Budget’s role in presidential policy making that Brookings Institution published in 2020, [here.](https://www.brookings.edu/book/executive-policymaking/) See all of Biden’s Record-Breaking Cabinet Nominees, [In One Chart.](https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/bidens-record-breaking-cabinet-in-one-chart/)

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What’s Next for the Biden Presidency?

Wed, Jan 13, 2021

Joseph R. Biden Jr. becomes the 46th President of the United States on January 20, 2021. The guy who wrote the book on U.S. inaugurations, Jim Bendat, talks about exactly how unconventional this convention will be and some of his insights might surprise you! Then, presidential and congressional scholars Julia Azari and Elaine Kamarck talk with Joe Mathieu, anchor and executive editor of GBH's Morning Edition, about the policy priorities, challenges and opportunities on the horizon for the Biden Administration. This event launches a new spring series, Examining the First 100 Days of the Biden Administration, that focuses on the most important developments in the early days of the Biden Administration. Presented by the Suffolk University Department of Political Science & Legal Studies, in collaboration with the Ford Hall Forum at Suffolk University and hosted by GBH’s Forum Network. Image: Gina Janovitz Design ### Resources See Jim Bandat’s book on the details of U.S. inaugurations, [here.](https://www.inaugurationbook.com/) Watch Elaine’s book talk: [Why Presidents Fail and How They Can Succeed Again.](https://forum-network.org/lectures/elaine-c-kamarck-why-presidents-fail-and-how-they-can-succeed-again/) Learn more from Julia in our talk, [Partisanship vs. Pandemic: Common Enemy; Disjointed Response.](https://forum-network.org/lectures/partisanship-v-pandemic-common-enemy-disjointed-response/) Review these [five myths about presidential inaugurations](https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/five-myths-about-presidential-inaugurations/2017/01/13/77f5416c-d84c-11e6-9f9f-5cdb4b7f8dd7_story.html).

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Bearing Witness: Phoebe Potts shares from "Too Fat for China"

Thu, Oct 29, 2020

The third in the trilogy of women storytellers, "Too Fat For China" follows Phoebe Potts, comic storyteller and a self-described “professional Jew,” as she tries, fails and eventually succeeds to adopt a baby. Potts is the daughter of journalists from Brooklyn, where everyone was indignant before breakfast and stories were the currency of relationships. After a U.S. adoption goes horribly wrong, Potts finds herself surprised, disgusted and ultimately resigned to the role she plays as a middle-class white lady in the business of adopting babies in the U.S. and internationally. Potts’ tragicomic journey is about looking for more – more love, more life, and more family. She will do anything to get it, including having her morals and values fold in on themselves. With humor and honesty, Potts tells the story of the terrible things she did for love. The moderator is Shoshana Madmoni-Gerber, associate professor, Communication, Journalism, and Media Department, Suffolk University. Presented by Ford Hall Forum at Suffolk University.

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